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Small Blue Charm
Moving to Naples, Italy was an adjustment for Nola that proved to be the best three years of her life. Now, she has to deal with the drastic change of scenery living in the boring town of Beaufort, South Carolina. Sophomore year in a new place means figuring out how to make new friends at a newly built high school. Nola is determined to move on from the depression of the relocation with her new besties, Tia and Kenzie, but memories of Naples seem to pop up at the worst times. Her friends can only help keep her mind off the past for so long before the sadness returns to consume her.
Small Blue Charm dives into the struggles after a relocation for military brats and the feelings they attempt to work through while building their new lives. It’s never easy leaving your friends and adapting to changes. Can Nola really let go of Naples or will she be stuck reliving her past forever?
Small Blue Charm dives into the struggles after a relocation for military brats and the feelings they attempt to work through while building their new lives. It’s never easy leaving your friends and adapting to changes. Can Nola really let go of Naples or will she be stuck reliving her past forever?
316 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 9, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 11, 2024
I read this book both as a beta reader and am providing my honest feedback about this book based on that readthrough. I will read it again after the full release and will update my review then.
I haven't read the author's other, related book Tiny Gold Heart but even without reading that, this can be read as a standalone. There were some events and relationships that were mentioned that could have been better understood if I read the other, but again it wasn't necessary.
The characters were all so well done and fit into their roles so well. I had so many frustrations wiith Travis and his personality, but you're supposed to be upset with him. He's what I like to refer to as a "sandpaper person" who just rubs you the wrong way more often than not. Nola went through so much in this book that I had a hard time realizing that the whole story takes place during a single year of high school. Busy busy life but not always in the best or worst ways. I found myself scolding or getting upset with some of the characters as they were being dramatic or when they would say something that was an instant regret, but as with Travis, that's the intent behind them.
The whole story read like I was going through school in Beaufort, SC, with Nola, Travis, Max, Kenzie, and Tia. This also opened my eyes to a side of the military I never experienced myself: dependent life. I was never a military brat or spouse, so being on that side of the experience isn't one that I have ever known. I have a new respect for military families and those around them who aren't military but still sit at the edge of the chaos that comes with frequent moves and everything else.
The themes of grief, loss, heartache, and self-doubt come through so much in this whole story.
I haven't read the author's other, related book Tiny Gold Heart but even without reading that, this can be read as a standalone. There were some events and relationships that were mentioned that could have been better understood if I read the other, but again it wasn't necessary.
The characters were all so well done and fit into their roles so well. I had so many frustrations wiith Travis and his personality, but you're supposed to be upset with him. He's what I like to refer to as a "sandpaper person" who just rubs you the wrong way more often than not. Nola went through so much in this book that I had a hard time realizing that the whole story takes place during a single year of high school. Busy busy life but not always in the best or worst ways. I found myself scolding or getting upset with some of the characters as they were being dramatic or when they would say something that was an instant regret, but as with Travis, that's the intent behind them.
The whole story read like I was going through school in Beaufort, SC, with Nola, Travis, Max, Kenzie, and Tia. This also opened my eyes to a side of the military I never experienced myself: dependent life. I was never a military brat or spouse, so being on that side of the experience isn't one that I have ever known. I have a new respect for military families and those around them who aren't military but still sit at the edge of the chaos that comes with frequent moves and everything else.
The themes of grief, loss, heartache, and self-doubt come through so much in this whole story.
December 11, 2025
I read this as a beta read for the author (thank you, Nicole, for trusting me to read an early, unpublished edition).
It was a great story of teenage angst and romance that felt partially autobiographical in a really good way. That resulted in a feeling of deep familiarity between the author and her characters that oozed out of the pages. There's emotional tension all throughout that ebbs and flows in such a skilled way. I tend not to read a lot of YA because sometimes I find the very teen drama moments to be big eyeroll moments (ugh, now I sound like "the olds(tm)") and there was some of that in this but not overwhelmingly so like has happened in the past.
I cannot recommend this enough.
It was a great story of teenage angst and romance that felt partially autobiographical in a really good way. That resulted in a feeling of deep familiarity between the author and her characters that oozed out of the pages. There's emotional tension all throughout that ebbs and flows in such a skilled way. I tend not to read a lot of YA because sometimes I find the very teen drama moments to be big eyeroll moments (ugh, now I sound like "the olds(tm)") and there was some of that in this but not overwhelmingly so like has happened in the past.
I cannot recommend this enough.
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